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,GATE

No. 490,737. Patented. Jan. s1, 189.3.

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GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,737, dated January31, 1893.

Application filed June 15,1892. Serial No. 436,848. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER BOYD, a citizen of the United States,residing at White- Wright, in the county of Grayson and State-of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic gates and it consistsin certain novel features which will be hereinafter de'- scribed andclaimed.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure lis a perspective view of the gate in its closed position, Fig. 2 is anelevation of the same showing the gate partly open and Figs. 3 anda aredetail views.

In carrying out my invention, I erect the latch-post A at one side ofthe road and on the opposite side of the road, directly opposite thelatch-post, I erect the posts B, B, which are connected at their uppervends by the cross bars C and at their lower ends by the cross bars D asclearly shown. Vertical arms E are secured to the upperends of the postBand a keeper F is secured to the said vertical arms. A bracket G issecured to the cross bars D and is provided at its outer end, in itsupper side, with a socket II which is engaged by pivot I depending fromthe inner lower corner of the gate. A similar bracket, J, is secured onthe cross bars C and a lever K is pivoted on the said bracket .I at theinner end thereof, as shown. This lever K projects beyond the ends ofthe bracket and its front end receives a pivotL projecting upward from astirrup or bracket M projecting from the upper inner corner of the gate.The outer end of the said lever has secured thereto the operating cordsor ropes N which extend along the side of the road to the posts O,erected a short distance from the posts B, and extend over the bracketsor supporting arms P secured to the upper ends of the said posts. Thefront cord or rope is provided with a stop Q adapted to impinge againstthe rope guides R for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. The ends of theropes are provided with weighted handles S 'which keep them taut at alltimes.

The gate proper is supported bythe pivots I and L and it is provided atits free end with the latches T, U, which are adapted to engage thecatches V on the latch-post and the catches W on the posts O. Thelatches are connected near their front ends by a cord X and are pivotedto the gate at any suitable point so that they will be caused to operatesimultaneously. The upper latch lfurthermore, is extended inwardsomewhat so as to provide a handle by which it may be operated by apedestrian.

In order to overcome thesagging of the gate, I provide the cableYwhichhas its ends secured to the lower latch in advance of the pivot thereonand then passes downward and under the pins Z on the sides of the gateand thence upward'tothe stirrup M at the upper corner of the gate. Anadjustable guide a is provided on the upper rail of the gate near thepivot of the same and receives and supports the cord or cable Y. It willbe readily understood that by moving this gage or guide forward orbackward the tension of the said cord will be increased or diminishedand the tendency of the gate to sag is consequently.

overcome. When the tension of the cord is increased so that the lowerouter end of the gate will be raised, the latches will at the same timebe drawn downward so as to remain in the path of the catches andconsequently positively engage the same.

The gate is provided on one side with a prop b which is normally held ina support c on the side of the gate and may be turned downward so as toenterthe ground and thereby hold the gate partially open when sodesired.

The lever K is provided in rear of its pivot with a vertical opening CZwhich is adapted to receive a pin or bolt e. The said pin or bolt willimpinge against the side of the bracket J and thereby hold the lever outof the line ot the gate.

It is thought that the operation of my improved gate will be readilyunderstood. A person approaching the gate on horseback or in a vehiclewill pull downward on the inner or back rope and thereby draw upon thele ver K so as to swing the same to one side. The inner end of the saidlever will thus vbe 'moved to one side of the line of the gate and thepivoted end of the gate consequently tilted IOO so that the front end ofthe same will be slightly raised and the latches disengaged from thecatches V. The Weight of the gate will then cause it to swing to oneside and thus automatically open as will be readily understood. Afterpassing through the gateway the operator draws downward on the frontcord and thereby returns the lever to its normal position andconsequently causes the gate to close. The stops on the front cord willprevent the same from being drawn downward so far that the lever will beswung backward sufficiently to swing the gate entirely open again. Y

It may sometimes be found inconvenient to operate my gate by means ofthe cords or ropes. v is set up as described without the ropes and thepin e is inserted through the openingcl of the lever so as to bearagainst the side of the bracket J, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Whenthus arranged, the gate is always opened by-hand and pushed toward thatside of the bracket againstwhich the pin bears. When opened, it will betilted so much as to close automatically. Should a larger clear Undersuch circumstances, the gate space be afterward provided, the pin can bequickly released and the operating ropes applied so that the gate may beopened from either side.

It will be seen that my gate is composed of Very few parts and itsadvantages are thought to be obvious.

Having thus fully described my invention,

.the lower-latch in advance of its pivot'.

In testimony whereof Iax my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER BOYD. Witnesses: v

W. S. RUSSELL, W. A. WORDEN.

